ASEAN's Companies Rise as the Architects of a Connected Economy

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What does it mean to be an ASEAN enterprise today? For decades, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region have been described as the backbone of their economies — yet, for the first time, a new generation of businesses is redefining what that truly means.

The first ASEAN SME100 Awards and the ASEAN Halal Brand Awards organised by Business Media International, held in conjunction with the ASEAN SME Forum, marked a turning point — one that celebrated not just success, but transformation.

The Rise of the Borderless SME

The inaugural ASEAN SME100 Awards honoured companies that have broken past national boundaries to establish themselves as regional forces. These are not just growing businesses — they are ambitious disruptors shaping the new narrative of ASEAN competitiveness.

Across industries — from digital technology to logistics, from manufacturing to lifestyle — these companies are proving that size is no longer the measure of influence. Agility, innovation, and regional collaboration are the new currencies of success.

Their stories are evidence that ASEAN's economic promise isn't just theoretical — it's unfolding in real time, led by enterprises that refuse to see geography as a limitation.

Halal as a Regional Language of Trust

Running parallel to this transformation is another quiet revolution — the rise of ASEAN's halal industry. The ASEAN Halal Brand Awards celebrated brands that have gone beyond compliance to turn halal into a global value system: one that blends ethics, authenticity, and ambition.

In a world where halal products represent a market projected to exceed USD 5 trillion by 2030, ASEAN's halal champions are redefining what trust and quality mean in a borderless economy. These brands have not only earned certification — they have earned regional respect by proving that faith and modern business innovation can thrive together.

From Recognition to Regional Identity

The awards serve a larger purpose: to reshape how ASEAN sees itself. For too long, SMEs have been viewed as national players, their growth confined within borders. The ASEAN SME100 and ASEAN Halal Brand Awards challenge that narrative, recognising those who have evolved beyond being local champions to become regional catalysts.

This shift mirrors a deeper regional truth — that ASEAN's future will be written not by governments or multinationals alone, but by SMEs bold enough to connect across cultures, sectors, and markets.

A Platform for the Future

Held alongside the ASEAN SME Forum, the twin awards represent more than celebration; they are a declaration — that ASEAN's entrepreneurial class is ready to lead. These programmes are not about prestige alone, but about creating new pathways for SMEs to access visibility, credibility, and partnerships across borders.

They turn recognition into opportunity. They transform awards into accelerators.

As ASEAN moves toward deeper economic integration, one truth becomes clear: the next wave of regional powerhouses will not emerge from size, but from vision — the kind that sees ASEAN not as ten separate markets, but as one interconnected ecosystem.

For more information about the SME100 Awards 2025 ASEAN and the complete list of winners, please visit www.sme100.asia

LIST OF WINNERS OF THE ASEAN SME100 AWARDS 2025 IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

1. APEIRON CONSULTANCY INC
2. ASE EDUCATION GROUP PTE LTD
3. BEYOND INSIGHTS SDN BHD
4. CK PACKAGING & PLASTIC INDUSTRIES SDN BHD
5. COLDWORLD ENGINEERING PTE LTD
6. COMPLETE HUMAN NETWORK SDN BHD
7. CS CLOUD SDN BHD
8. EDKA DIGITAL CO., LTD
9. ENERCON ASIA PTE LTD
10. FILIPINO HOMES
11. FPT FOOD PROCESS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
12. GRIFFIN PROTECTION INTEGRATED SECURITY PTE LTD
13. HOWERN WASSER SDN BHD
14. INNODENT TRADING CO., LTD
15. MATA GROUP HOLDING CO., LTD
16. MCE MARKETING SDN BHD
17. MOST CAPITAL GROUP SDN BHD
18. MX ENGINEERING PTE LTD
19. NETGAIN SYSTEMS PTE LTD
20. NEXT ENERGY SDN BHD
21. PET PROTECT FOOD CO., LTD
22. PROTUS WONDERLAND PTE LTD
23. PT. RAVELWARE TECHNOLOGY INDONESIA
24. RM APPLICATIONS SDN BHD
25. UNIQTEK CO., LTD
26. YOSHITEC PRECISION ENGINEERING (M) SDN BHD

ASEAN OUTSTANDING YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2025

1. MR. ANG SOON ENG - CK PACKAGING & PLASTIC INDUSTRIES SDN BHD
2. MR. LEONG CHIA HANN, JASON - MOST CAPITAL GROUP SDN BHD
3. MR. SONG MINGQIANG, STEVEN - MX ENGINEERING PTE LTD
4. MR. STEVEN CHIEW CHOON MENG - NEXT ENERGY SDN BHD
5. MR. RANDY BUDI WICAKSONO - PT. RAVELWARE TECHNOLOGY INDONESIA

SME100 ASEAN WOMEN LEADERSHIP AWARDS 2025

1. MS. TEH CHAI PENG - COMPLETE HUMAN NETWORK SDN BHD
2. MS. LEONG HUEY MIIN - NETGAIN SYSTEMS PTE LTD
3. MS. PAN XIAOJING - PROTUS WONDERLAND PTE LTD

SME100 ASEAN SUSTAINABLE BRAND AWARDS 2025         

1. COLDWORLD - COLDWORLD ENGINEERING PTE LTD
2. ENERCON - ENERCON ASIA PTE LTD
3. HOWERN WASSER - HOWERN WASSER SDN BHD
4. YOSHITEC - YOSHITEC PRECISION ENGINEERING (M) SDN BHD

ASEAN HALAL BRAND AWARD

1. CAP KUNCI - EHH FOOD INDUSTRY SDN BHD
2. F&N - FRASER & NEAVE HOLDINGS BERHAD
3. McDONALD'S MALAYSIA - McDONALD'S MALAYSIA
4. NESTLE - NESTLE MALAYSIA BERHAD
5. PAYLESS INSTANT NOODLES - NISSIN - UNIVERSAL ROBINA CORPORATION
6. ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES - ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES SDN BHD
7. ZUS COFFEE - ZUSPRESSO (M) SDN BHD